The Dragon Curse

The witch

"Put him down on the bed." said the woman who we met in the forest.

We were in a little house, which was in the open field near the forest. Beside the house, a little garden was with various flowers and herbs. As we entered there was a big fireplace in the very end and next to it under a window was a bed. I quickly put Jack on the bed as she told me, while she stepped to the fireplace. She was doing something in a cauldron then she went to the other end of the house where a big shelf was with different things on it. Was she a witch? She did something over the cauldron again, then came back with something in a wooden bowl. Inside there was a green liquid.

"Make him drink this," she said and handed me the bowl.

I held Jack's head and made him drink the liquid then placed his head back on the pillow. That was when I saw that the scales were getting up on his neck and reaching his eye, completely covering the skin around his eye. I handed the bowl back and stood up to look around more.

"Will he be okay?" I asked the woman.

"This will ease his pain," she said and turned back to me.

"So you are a witch then," I said.

"No, not really," she said and sat down at the table then gesturing me to sit down. "I met a witch who taught me some things, but not everything. I was about to learn something new from her when the villagers came by and took her. They would take me as well, but she hid me."

She didn't say anything else just looked at Jack. She took a deep breath and looked back at me.

"My name is Evelien by the way," she said and I nodded. "How do you know him?"

"It's a long story. He was in trouble and I helped him." I said. "Now we are running away from the king and trying to find a way to fully turn him into a human."

"Well, you are lucky that we met," she said.

"You can't imagine," I said and we both looked at Jack. "He's been like this for 4 days. Always in pain. It's painful just to watch."

"What you gave him will help a little, but I don't know how to stop this," she said. "I can try some things out to turn him back to human, but I'm not promising anything."

I nodded and she stood up. She grabbed her bag and dagger again and went to the door.

"I need to go back to the forest though. Make yourself at home," she said. "And if he wakes up give him another shot of the potion I made."

I nodded again, then she left. I was sitting at the table and didn't really know what to do. I must have fallen asleep, because I woke up to Jack, moving around in the bed. I quickly stood up and went up to him. He rubbed his head and sat up on the bed. When he opened his eyes he looked around then at me.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"Don't worry, we are at a witch's house," I said and he looked at me surprised. "You were in pain and then you fainted."

I stood up and went up to the cauldron where the bowl was with the potion in it. I brought it to Jack and handed him. I told him to drink it and he did. He gave the bowl back to me and I put it on the table.

"Are you feeling better?" I asked and he took a deep breath then nodded.

"Oh, you are awake." said a female voice, which meant that Evelien was back. "How are you?"

"A little bit better, thanks," said Jack and looked at Evelien. "So, you are a witch."

"Just an assistant who learned some things from the real witch," she said and put the herbs she collected away into little pots and glasses.

"Can you help me turn back to human?" asked Jack.

"Well, I'm not that good. I can try, but I'm not promising anything," said Evelien and Jack hung down his head.

"With try, it's not gonna work. Trust me I know," he said, then he looked at Evelien and asked her. "I wanted to ask you about the symbol back in the forest. How did you get that?"

"Like you. From a witch," she answered.

"I got it because I was turned into a human," said Jack and he curiously looked at Evelien. "But why did you get it?"

"I was sick. Deadly sick," she said and sat down at the table again, looking at her hands. "So my parents threw me away. The witch found me and cured my sickness."

"Black Death?" I asked and she just nodded.

"That's when I got this symbol," she said.

"For any chance was that witch the one who you lived with here?" asked Jack and I was now confused.

What does he want to find out about Evelien?

"Yes," answered Evelien and she was confused too.

"What happened to her?" Jack asked.

"The villagers killed her," she answered, but the questioning continued.

"Has she ever told you about a boy?" asked Jack and now it was all clear for me.

He wanted to find out if Evelien's witch is the same one who was Jack's mother. It would be logical since they both have the same symbol on their arm.

"Why is that important?" she asked

"Please," said Jack. "I have to know."

"She mentioned that she had a son. I think his name was Seán, but they lost each other," said Evelien and I saw the fear on Jack's face. "I tried to find him, but without any luck. Maybe he is dead."

"No," said Jack and slowly looked up at Evelien. "He is alive."

At this Evelien's eyes widened and it made sense for her now why Jack was asking all these questions.

"Seán?" she asked and Jack nodded.